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SJ "Best Of" Voting

The voting has begun in the Statesman Journal "2010 Best Of The Mid-Valley" contest. With over a hundred categories to vote on and the ability to vote everyday from each computer that you own or use, it is an exhausting contests for the readers. Let's face it though, it is a valued contest to win for any restaurant or business nominated. The voting started March 17 and continues until April 6th. To vote in the restaurant category, click here. I'm a big fan of these kind of online polls. It's always interesting to take the pulse of the community even if the results are not scientific. To see the results of the eatsalem.com Restaurant of the Year contest, click here.

3 comments:

DeeDeeDiner
said...

Please bear with me if I take a moment to air some personal thoughts about the “Best of the Mid-Valley” competition. 1. Each year I cringe as places like Applebee’s, Lum Yuen & Orchard Heights Winery get outrageously high marks while upscale local restaurants (think Morton’s, Silver Grille, Old Europe Inn) rarely appear as finalists---at least this year La Capitale & DaVinci’s are showing up.

(When I checked this morning, Orchard Heights Winery was in the Top Five in 18 different categories!)

2. Then there’s the somewhat silly aspect of being encouraged to vote every day---how many people who work full-time and have a family are going to consider that a priority?

Before the Internet took over our lives, at least the mail-in paper ballots provided a fairer evaluation of the local scene with more-or-less one vote per person.

3. I won’t belabor the issue of listing places in the wrong categories. If people think Lanxang Lao is the best Vietnamese restaurant, so be it :-)

It hurts that Portlanders often consider Salem “Bests” somewhat of a joke (unfortunately many of my commuter workmates do). It’s really embarrassing at times.

I have always thought that folks who read this blog enjoy good food and hopefully will let their opinions be known as frequently as time allows for the “Best of the Mid-Valley.”

This "contest" is a complete joke. It is a popularity contest, not a "best of" contest.... the restaurant with the most people with the most time willing to vote every single day (you can vote each day from all of the browsers on your computer -- so I can vote four times per day if I wish!) are the people who are going to win. Obviously some peeps with Alessandro's and Orchard Heights Winery are keeping themselves very busy. I can't compete with that. I want to vote for my favorites, but I don't have that kind of time on my hands. It is so unfair, irritating, and disgusting. The winnings are meaningless. Have you ever eaten at Orchard Heights? It's not the best in ANY category. And how is Alessandro's in the top five for so many different categories? I find it extremely hard to believe that so many people think they are not only the Best Italian, but Best Appetizer, Best Staff, Best Cocktails, Best Steak, Best Seafood, etc etc. It's ridiculous.

I wish they would make people register and give each registered voter ONE VOTE. How the hell else is it ever going to be true, real data?

These "Best of" ratings don't mean anything to me and I don't use them as a guideline to find places to eat here in town, thankfully. Otherwise I'd never leave the Olive Garden and Kwans..

I so desperately want to see quality eateries like Morton's and La Capitale get the recognition they deserve... but I will settle for knowing that my money is my vote every time I spend it with a wonderful restaurant like theirs.

Shame on the Statesman for such a joke of a voting system. Get rid of it already! BOOO

"Deja vu all over again" Division: Dare I say that if Eat-Salemites want ANY kind of "voice"in the Statesman "Best of the Mid-Valley" Food and Drink category---they need to get hopping. Deal is the same as last year---vote early and often until April 10.

Categories can be accessed at http://community.statesmanjournal.com/bestof2011/